My Tie is my Combat Patch

I don't particularly like ties in their own right. They're uncomfortable. Ties aren't required by my employer and not many of my colleagues wear them regularly. Still, I wear a tie every day, even on “casual Friday.”

I don’t particularly like ties in their own right. They’re uncomfortable. Ties aren’t required by my employer and not many of my colleagues wear them regularly. Still, I wear a tie every day, even on “casual Friday.”

Until recently, I served on active duty in the Army and necessarily wore the Army Combat Uniform, or ACU, every day. I became extremely fond of this uniform because it instantly conveyed all sorts of useful information whenever I met someone for the first time. Within seconds, I could tell their relative seniority, what unit they belonged to, how long they have been with the organization, their area of expertise, if they have any special or unusual certifications, and whether or not they’ve seen combat.

This latter bit of discriminating information is conveyed by a combat patch worn on the upper right arm only by those who have served in a combat zone. In today’s military, the combat patch is seen as the distinguishing mark of a professional—someone who put in the hard work where it counts, on the front lines. These are the pros that can be counted on.

Wouldn’t it be great, if in our business lives we could recognize someone’s relative seniority, area of expertise, special certifications, etc immediately upon meeting them without requiring a personal introduction to convey such information. How many faux pas would that prevent? I’m not saying that all safety professionals should wear an orange waist band and all vice presidents should wear a green sash. Although, it might be fun to try that for a while. But I am saying that my tie is my combat patch. It’s how I convey to others that I am a professional, that I’ve put in the hard work where it counts.